Survival in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and COVID-19 in Mexico
Patricia Zagoya Martinez *
Department of Hematology, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Hospital of Specialties, High Specialty Medical Unit, National Medical Center "Gral. Manuel Avila Camacho", Puebla, Mexico.
Jose Alejandro Limon Flores
Department of Hematology, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Hospital of Specialties, High Specialty Medical Unit, National Medical Center "Gral. Manuel Avila Camacho", Puebla, Mexico.
Jose Alfredo Vidal Vidal
Division of Critical Medicine, Surgical Care Unit, Puebla State Health Services “Hospital para el Niño Poblano”, San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To determine the survival of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and COVID-19.
Study Design: Prospective, analytical and relational.
Place and Duration of Study: Hematology department, Hospital of Specialties, High Specialty Medical Unit, National Medical Center "Gral. Manuel Avila Camacho", Puebla, Mexico, during the period June 2020-April 2021
Methodology: Patients aged 15 to 64 years, both sexes, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by PCR. The variables included were; sex, age (groups: 15-20; 21-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; and 60-64), comorbidities, general treatment and hematological treatment response. Survival was determined for the diagnosis of COVID-19 for 11 months, using the Kaplan Meier estimator and the Log-Rak test; Cox regression model (univariate and multivariate); as well as Chi square and V-Cramer with a 95% confidence interval and using the statistical program SPSS Ver. 25.
Results: The study consisted of 20 patients, of which 33.3% were women, with an average age of 37.75 ± 11.63 years; The men registered an age of 28.50 ± 18.05 years. Overall survival was 50%, with a lower limit of 101.3 and an upper limit of 242.5 days, with a mean of 171.9 days; and median at 17 days. No significant differences were found in survival regarding sex, comorbidities, general treatment and hematological response. However, mortality in patients with comorbidities was higher (p = 0.051).
Conclusion: Survival in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and COVID-19 is low, due to complications that increase mortality, mainly owing to hematological suppression, and even more so with the presence of comorbidities.
Keywords: Cancer, hematological alterations, mortality, SARS-CoV-2